So, once again, Google in their wisdom have decided to remove the app from the Play Store for no good reason.
In order to get the app reinstated I will need to make a number of changes to it, test it, upload it and it may then get removed again as it’s completely unclear if the app can actually function and still be allowed by Google.
In summary, Google have removed the app because it sends SMS messages and have said that is no longer allowed. That has a pretty major impact on the app’s main function !
I’ll revisit the app and see what work will be required in August as I’ll have some spare time due to losing my job.
Following on from my last post I’ve reviewed the app’s status and what would be required to get it back on the play store to comply with Google’s latest requirements.
It seems that I could add a privacy policy to the web site and link to that from the Google Play listing and resubmit the app. So, I put together a privacy policy, resubmitted the app and it was accepted with the new privacy policy.
I’ll add a link to the privacy policy from within the app in the next release but, for the moment at least, the Android app is available again.
Just to let Android users know, the app is no longer available on the Play Store because Google removed it without warning and with no justification.
I have decided to review the future of the app to see if it’s worth continuing supporting the Android version or not. The Android app generates far less revenue than the iOS version and gives me the most grief from users who haven’t a clue what the app does or how it does it.
I will take a few days to consider if i can be bothered to continue supporting it on the Android platform but at the moment it seems to be a lot of work for no real reward, monetary or otherwise.
The GT06 tracker (may also be referred to as a TK100 GT06, according to the manual) uses similar command structures to the WynnYeen GPS002 with commands separated by hash (#) characters.
In addition to the stockade/geo fence options, this device can also control a relay remotely to allow vehicle circuits on/off.
The definition is still in review and may require an app update to be developed to give full support.
This variation of the TK102 is the first one I’ve come across that doesn’t have a variable stockade feature. Or at least not according to the manual !
It has a simple move command that sets up a 200m stockade around the current position but that’s it.
I’ve implemented what commands I can for this device but it seems to rely quite heavily on using and reporting it’s position to a web site rather than sms. Currently there is a Track On/Off command that is experimental as it’s not really documented in the manual but may work… If you have one of these, please let me know if it works or not !
The manual also suggests that the shock alarm is an optional feature so may or may not work depending on your device firmware.
I’ve found a manual online, available at the link below which should help identify if this is your device…
This is from an, as yet, unidentified manufacturer and appears to be of the TK102 design.
The firmware, however, is quite limited compared to most of the other TK102 versions out there with a subset of SMS commands and a very primitive stockade command.
The stockade command is the main indicator that you have one of these devices, the manual showing the stockade command as:
stockade+password+space+semi-diameter+space+alarm
So it has no way to define the centre of the stockade and, I assume, just uses it’s current position as the centre.
I have been sent a scanned manual by the user that first reported this device type but have not yet found an online version suitable for inclusion here.
This is a new 3G tracker which uses a completely different command set but still has a similar feature set to other devices.
The command set is case insensitive but I have chosen to use upper case for the commands, as per the manual, to make it clearer.
The accompanying manual for the tracker is available here… TK119-W 3G Manual
It seems to be a vehicle oriented tracker, taking a wide voltage input range (6-36V) so it can be powered directly on pretty much any vehicle. It also has a relay control so the fuel pump or some other cutout can be used to immobilise the vehicle remotely.
Unlike the majority of trackers this device does not use a password, relying instead on the caller ID to authorise. I’m not sure if this is a security risk or not at this stage as I’ve not had a unit myself to experiment with.
This seems to have pretty much the same functionality as the TK102 but with the addition of an external power/fuel cut facility. For some reason it has the latitude and longitude reversed when compared to all the other models I’ve seen so far.
It’s a dedicated vehicle mounted tracker so connects to a 12v power supply and also has an “ACC” input that can be hooked up to the ignition or other power source and the unit will send an alert if it sees 12v on that input, such as when the ignition is powered on, when this function is armed.
This is currently awaiting review by Apple prior to release. It contains a number of changes, primarily to fix a few UI glitches that are evident on iOS 8 and above.
I’ve also changed the banner source to Google, in line with the Android app, as Apple have discontinued their banner service. The banner revenue is vital for the app to continue at the moment as it needs to cover the cost of the web server that hosts this site and provides the device definitions to the app.
Following a brief beta test with no negative feedback, I’ve now released the app into the live environment on the Google Play store.
The Android app has all the features of the iOS app. It’s not been optimised for tablet use as yet, that’s something I’ll look at after the next iOS release.
If you find the app useful, please rate it/review it in the store, if you have any problems with the app please submit problem reports through the Contact Us page. I can’t really help with problems outside the app such as devices not responding to SMS messages etc… If your device uses an SMS message format or features not available in one of the current device types in the app, please let me know and, if at all possible, include a link to the manual for your device.
Following on from my last post I’ve reviewed the app’s status and what would be required to get it back on the play store to comply with Google’s latest requirements.
This is a new 3G tracker which uses a completely different command set but still has a similar feature set to other devices.
This seems to have pretty much the same functionality as the TK102 but with the addition of an external power/fuel cut facility. For some reason it has the latitude and longitude reversed when compared to all the other models I’ve seen so far.